Socioeconomic Status and Health in Childhood: A Comment on Chen, Martin and Matthews (2006)

Understanding whether the gradient in children's health becomes steeper with age is an important first step in uncovering the mechanisms that connect economic and health status, and in recommending sensible interventions to protect children's health. To that end, this paper examines why two sets of authors, Chen et al (2006) and Case et al (2002), using data from the same source, reach markedly different conclusions about income-health gradients in childhood. We find that differences can be explained primarily by the inclusion (exclusion) of a handful of younger adults living independently.

Running an SAP Simulation Game Online

This paper describes the introduction of a simulation game into an online Information Systems (IS) class for graduate business students, not majoring in IS. The intention was to give the students experience in business processes and to demonstrate the importance of all components of an information system in providing information for business decision making. The students found the game enjoyable and (surprisingly to many) relatively easy to use. They gained an appreciation of ERP capabilities and learned how they might use such systems in their workplaces. In addition to the enjoyment, they also observed some of the implications of not following procedures or team members’ not completing their assigned tasks. The students strongly supported its inclusion in the course in future years. However the deployment of the game was not without its problems – the paper aims to share the experience and provide advice and guidance for those wishing to incorporate the game into their online classes

Panel: So You Want to Write a Textbook: Pitfalls, Practical Advice and Points to Ponder

Writing a textbook is a daunting, time consuming and (potentially) rewarding experience. Making the decision to write a textbook is, of itself, a complex, challenging process. To assist those who may at some point in their careers face this decision, the panel will address many of the issues potential authors face. In addition, panelists will share their personal experiences with textbook authoring. The panel will be highly interactive, enabling audience members to pose questions and share their own thoughts

A Survey of Online Purchasing Decision Factors and Shopping and Purchasing Behaviors of University Students

Shopping and purchasing on retailers’ websites continues to expand. According to ACNielsen’s 2005 report, more than one tenth of the world population (627 million) have shopped online, and more than half of them have shopped (over 325 million) online within a month of the report’s release (ACNielsen, 2005). Compared to the third quarter 2004, the third quarter of 2005 showed a 26.7% increase in online retail sales in the U.S., generating $22.3 billion for online merchants (U.S. Census Bureau, 2005). Marketers and researchers have verified that university students are one of the most “wired” demographic groups of online users and continue to investigate the characteristics of shopping/purchasing behaviors among these students. The aim of this investigation is to further examine factors that drive university students’ online shopping and purchasing decisions, and the types of items they shop for and purchase online

Antecedents of Generalized Computer Self-Efficacy Judgements

Computer self-efficacy is frequently used as an explanatory variable in software training and technology acceptance investigations and it has been frequently used to predict training and learning outcomes. While self-efficacy models identify prior experience with computers as an important determinant of generalized self-efficacy judgments, relatively few studies have systematically examined the types of experience that drive such judgments. Gender and frequency of computer use have also been identified as other predictors of generalized computer self-efficacy. In this investigation, self-reported knowledge/skill attainments levels with each of nineteen computer use/knowledge dimensions are used to measure prior experience/knowledge of computers. These were collected from 340 university students at the same time that they completed a generalized computer self-efficacy scale. This data is used to test two predictions: 1) that greater prior computer knowledge/experience is directly related to higher computer self-efficacy scores and 2) for comparable levels of prior experience/knowledge, males will have higher self-efficacy scores than females. Our results provide support for the first prediction but not the second. Our findings suggest that experience/knowledge of less common computer applications may be more important in shaping self-efficacy judgments than are greater levels of experience/knowledge with common computer applications

Panel Proposal: Publishing in the Journal of Information Systems Education

This panel will discuss the Journal of Information Systems Education (JISE), the journal sponsored by EDSIG. Several topics will be discussed, including (but not limited to): Submitting papers to JISE The review process Deciding whether your paper is a good fit with JISE Why papers get rejected and how to avoid rejection Opportunities for being a Guest Editor for a Special Issue

Student Attitudes Towards Distance Education: A Comparison of Views in Australia and the US

There have been frequent and repeated calls for empirical studies examining distance learning. This paper presents the results of a study that compares US and Australian post-graduate students involved in similar courses. It finds marked differences in perceptions between those involved in distance education and those studying by more traditional means. Differences between the two nationalities are also noted. The paper calls for further work in this area and invites a series of collaborative studies

Extension\u27s Role in Responding to Community Crisis: Lessons from Klamath Falls, Oregon

Extension has a long history of support for communities, primarily through programs such as agriculture and 4-H. When an entire community faces a crisis, however, the needs of the community can expand beyond the goals of a specific program. In the summer of 2001, Klamath Falls, Oregon experienced a crisis when a federal decision eliminated irrigation water to over 1200 families farming more than 220,000 acres. The Klamath County Extension Office recognized the role they could play and organized and facilitated three countywide meetings to identify needs and strategies for action. The actions that evolved from the meetings were substantial, and the Extension office learned several key lessons about responding to crisis

A LinkedIn Analysis of Career Paths of Information Systems Alumni

Information harvested from the LinkedIn profiles for 175 graduates of an Information Systems program at a mid-sized comprehensive university in Southeastern USA are summarized in this investigation. The current investigation was undertaken to examine the extent to which LinkedIn profiles are able to provide a more realistic picture of entry-level jobs held by program alumni and subsequent career progress. In addition, our results suggest that LinkedIn profiles can help answer questions such as: “What jobs do IS graduates get?”, “What does the career of an IS professional typically look like?”, and “Whether IS graduates can successfully transition from technical to managerial positions?”. Our findings also suggest that information in LinkedIn profiles can be used to assess the long-term outcomes of IS programs